Canning apparatus.



W. MUELLER.

CANNING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 19171 Patented J an. 8, 1918.

INVENTOR WITN ESSES ATTO RN EY W IIJLIAMM UELL E R, or JUNCTION, TEXAS.

CANNING' APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

Application filed May 2, 1917. Serial No. 165,929.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM MnnLLnR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Junction, in the county of Kimble and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Canning Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to steaming or sterilizing apparatus especially adapted for use in canning operations for steaming and cooking fruit, vegetables, and the like, in the cans. I

An object of the invention is to provide a construction in which glass jars may be steamed or sterilized without danger of breaking or cracking them.

Another object of the invention is to pr0- vide a construction which can be easily manipulated to fill and empty the same and in which the sterilizing will take place very quickly, thereby saving a great deal of'time.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved construction for'automatically controlling the steam pressure therein, and to also provide improved means for holding the parts lockedduring the sterilizing or steaming operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a'construction in which the steam isretained within the steam chest or sterilizing vat under pressure, the chest and its cover being water sealed. 7

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken at right angles to that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the upper portion of the boiler, illustrating the ,means for lockingthe parts together.

In the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated, a boiler 1 having an open top 2 is provided with av diametrically extending tubular fire box 3 at the bottom. This fire box 3 has a grate 4, as shownin Fig. 2, a door 5 through which the fuel may be placed upon the grate and the ashes removed, and a smoke stackfi at the end of the fire box remote from the door. I A valve 7 is connected to the lower end of the boiler for the purpose of draining the same when not in use.

An inwardly extending circumferential supporting flange or shoulder 8 is provided upon the inside of the boiler 1 above the fire box. This flange serves as a support for a'steam chest or vat 9, which has a bottom 10 and is open at the top, as indicated at 1 1. The sides of the steam chest 9 project downwardly beyond the bottom, as indicated at 12, providing a chamber therein for the water and steam.

Attached at 13 to the inside of the projecting portion 12 of the steam chest and extending around its lower edge, as indicated at 14:, are vertically extending yieldable locking arms or members 15, which extend to the top of the boiler, and are provided with holes 16 at their upper ends for a purpose to be more fully described. The boiler is adapted to be filled with water 17. The water line 18 should be normally slightly below the bottom 10 and within the chamber formed by said bottom and the pro jecting portion 12.

7 Steam is admitted to the steam chest 9 through a vertically extending pipe 19, of. which the lowerend 20 is in substantial alinenient with the bottom 10 and is spaced above the top of the, water and the upper end 21 terminates adjacent to the upper edge of the steam chest. As the steam enters the chest and comes in contact with the cold cans or other articles within the chest, the steam is condensed and the water formed by the condensation escapes through an outlet pipe 22, the upper end 23 of the outlet pipe 22 being in substantial alinement with the bottom 10, as shown in Fig. 2, the lower end24 of the outlet pipe being below the water level 18.

Inclosing the steam chest 9 is a cover 25.

This cover comprises sides extending around and inclosing the steam chest, the lower edge 26 thereof projecting below the bottom 10 of the steam chest 9 and into the water in the boiler, whereby the cover and the steam chest is water sealed. The diameter of the cover is greater than the diameter of'the steam chest, and provides, between the wall of the steam chest and the wall of the cover, an annular space or passage 27. The coverbeing interposed between the boilerl and the steam chest 9 provides an annular space or passage 27 between the boiler and the cover. It should be noticed in this connection that the locking arms 15 extend upwardly between the cover and the boiler and are artherefore, communicates with the passage 27 through the passage 27 when the water level lowers to expose the perforations 28. The water level lowers when the pressure within the steam chest and within the cover becomes excessive, so that the pressure forces the water upwardly between the cover 25 and the wall of the boiler through the pas sage 27 By providing perforations or openings 28 within the lower portions of the cover below the normal water line, the discharge or the splashing of the water about the room is prevented, and the steam within the steam chestand cover is kept at a normal safe pressure at all times. 7

To the top of the cover is attached a di ametrically extending cross bar or reinforcement 30. Projecting fromthe ends of the .bar are pins 31, which are adapted to extend into or through the openings 16 of the locking members 15, whereby the cover and steam chest aresecurely locked together. The cover and steam chest in turn are locked to the boiler by the provision of notches 32 at the upper edge of the boiler and are arranged at diametrically opposite points thereon. The pins 81 are adapted to rest within these notches 82, as shownin Figs. 1 and 3, and extend beyond the wall of the boiler at their ends. To the outside of the boiler at diametrically opposite pointsand below the notches 32 are pivoted latches 33 having notches 3 1 therein adapted to engage the pins and lock them securely in the notches 32 of the boiler, so that theparts are locked securely together and there is no dan er of the same blowinv out b reason of the steam pressure. At the same time, the cover may be easily unlocked from the boiler by moving the latches out of engagement with pins 31 and can then be lifted out by means of a block and tackle, (not shown) adapted to be attached to the bail 35 fastened to the bar 30. The cover can be easily detached from the steam chest, either before or after removing the same from the boiler, by pulling the upper ends of the locking members 15 outwardly out of engagement with the pins 31. p

A suitable valve 36 is provided on the top of the cover so that the steam pressure with in the chest and within the cover may be regulated. It is often necessary to keep this valve open in placing the steam chest in po sition within the boiler with its cover thereon and before looking has been accomplished. At the same time, it is well to have this valve open when removing the steam chest and cover. The valve 36 can also be adjusted to regulate the normal pressure within the apparatus when in use.

It will be seen that by the above construction, the steam Within the steam chest is above the usual pressure for the steam'is heated and confined and the interior of the steam chest is water sealed by the cover. Should the steampressure become excessive, it has been pointed out that the water level will lower exposing the openings 28 whereby steam is released, reducing the pressure and the water is prevented from discharging through the passage 27 into'the room.

The .cans will also be quickly and umformly heated so that there will be little danger of cracking or breaking them. The parts may be easily assembled and disassembled and securelylocked when in use. Hot water is kept at all times out of the interior of the steam chest. It should benoticed that the bottom of the steam chest is spaced above the water level, while the steam is admitted to the steam chest at the top thereof through the pipe 19 and the condensed steam or water flows out at the bottom through the outlet pipe 22, the lower end of which is below water level and projects intothe water. It

should also be noticed that I have provided a locking means which looks the steam chest and cover'together and these in turn to the boiler. The locking; means can be easily manipulated to disengage or unlock the parts, while at the same time they are held together and prevented from being blown out by the steam pressure. i r Y The steam chest or. vat 9 can be duplicated so that while one is being sterilized, the

other can be filled. The bottom of the chest 1.- In a canning apparatusof thecharacter described, a boiler, a steam chest'open at the top andvmounted and supported within said boiler, means communicating. between the boiler and the steam chest to supply steam to the latter, and a cover inclesing said steam chest, spaced above theupper v edge thereof and projecting between the chest and boiler below the bottom of the chest, the lower edge of said cover being adapted to be water sealed by the water in the boiler.

2. In a canning apparatus of the character described, a boiler, a steam chest mounted. within and supported by said boiler and having a bottom spaced upwardly of the lower edge thereof and above the water, said lower edge being adapted to project into the water within the boiler, a steam pipe for connecting the interior of said steam chest with the space below said bottom, and a cover inclosing said steam chest, spaced from the upper edge thereof and extending below the bottom thereof, the lower edge of said cover being adapted to extend into the water and to be sealed thereby.

3. In a canning apparatus of the character described, a boiler having a supporting shoulder, a steam chest mounted upon said supporting shoulder within said boiler, and provided with means for admitting steam thereto and with an outlet for the condensed steam, and a cover for said steam chest spaced at the top above the upper edge thereof, inclosing the steam chest at the sides and interposed between the steam chest and boiler, the lower end of said cover extending downwardly below the bottom of the steam chest and adjacent to the shoulder and adapted to project into the water in the boiler, said cover being provided with perforations whereby the pressure within the steam chest may be reduced when the water level lowers by reason of the excessive pressure within the steam chest.

I. In a canning apparatus of the character described, a boiler having a supporting shoulder therein, a steam chest restin upon said shoulder and provided with a ottom spaced upwardly from its lower edge, a steam pipe extending from said bottom to the upper part of said steam chest, the normal water level within the boiler being below the bottom and the lower end of said steam pipe, an outlet pipe having its upper end flush with the bottom of said steam chest and its lower end adapted to project below the water level into the water, and a cover for said steam chest.

5. In a canning apparatus of the character described, a boiler having an open top, a steam chest supported in said boiler and spaced. from the wall thereof, said steam chest being open at the top and having a bottom spaced upwardly from its lower edge, the water level within the boiler being above the lower edge of said steam chest but below the bottom thereof, a steam pipe opening through said bottom for admitting steam to said steam chest at the upper end thereof and having its lower end spaced above the water level, an outlet pipe for condensed steam having its lower end below the water level, a cover having a top spaced from the upper edge of the steam chest and sides extending between the steam chest and boiler toward the bottom of the steam chest, and providing annular passages be tween the same andthe steam chest and between the same and the boiler, the lower end of said cover being adapted to be water sealed by the water within the boiler, and provided with openings for the purpose specified.

6. In a canning apparatus of the character described, a boiler, a steam chest mounted within said boiler, a cover for said steam chest, and means for locking the steam chest and cover'to each other and to the boiler.

7. In a canning apparatus of the character described, a boiler, a steam chest mounted within said boiler .and supported thereby, a cover inclosing the said steam chest and extending to the bottom thereof, and latch mechanism for locking said steam chest and cover together and to the boiler, said mechanism being mounted partly on the boiler and partly on the cover.

8. In a canning apparatus of the character described, a boiler, a steam chest within the boiler, a cover for said steam chest inclosing the same and extending toward the bottom thereof, a locking member attached to said steam chest and extending around the lower edge of said cover and provided at its upper end with an opening, a projecting pin upon said cover adapted to extend through said opening, and a latch on the boiler adapted to engage the pin, Whereby the steam chest and cover are locked together and to the boiler.

9. In a canning apparatus of the character described, a boiler, a steam chest within the boiler, a cover for said steam chest in closing the same and extending toward the bottom thereof, a locking member attached to said steam chest and extending around the lower edge of said cover, said locking member being duplicated at each side, a cross bar mounted upon the cover and engaging the upper ends of said locking members, and also engaging the boiler to hold said parts in locked relation.

10. In a canning apparatus, a boiler body, a vat within the boiler body and having an outlet below the level of the Water line Within said body, means for removably suspending the vat within the body from the upper portion of the latter, and means for closing the vat and forming a steam passage therebetween.

11. In a canning apparatus, a boiler body, a vat within the boiler body and having an outlet at its bottom extending below the level of the water line within the boiler body, and means for delivering steam from the boiler body to the vat at the upper end thereof. W a

-. body, means for delivering steam from the 12. In a canning aparatus, a boiler body, a vat Withinthe boiler body and having an outlet at its bottom extending below the level of the Water line Within the boiler In testimony that I elaim'the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signa- 10 ture in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM MUELLER.

boiler body to the vet at the upper end thereof, and a removable closure for said vat.

Witnesses:

W. P. RILEY, A. W. BROWNING;

Uopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. 0. i V 

